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'Naval Staff monographs (historical) vol 4 no 15 - Naval operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf' [‎54] (69/150)

The record is made up of 73 folios. It was created in 1921. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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54
off Norfolk Hill to engage at close range the Turkish guns and
trenches near Tower Hill, and to assist the infantry attack on
Tower Hill and Gun Hill. The Odin, Lawrence, and Miner
also moved up in support, the Bahrein 1 and Lewis Pelhf being
kept in reserve as spare minesweepers. The Espiegle received
some slight damage from an enemy shell and sustained three
casualties.
Tower Hill was captured at 9.30 a.m. by infantry advancing
in boats and wading, and by 11.40 a.m. the Turkish guns had
been gradually silenced and Gun Hill was taken.
Ihe heat was intense, 3 and the flies and mosquitoes intoler
able. The remainder of the day was spent in consolidating
the position with a view to a further advance next day. The
4 7-inch naval guns 4 and the military heavy and field guns in their
lighters, were now brought up. A boom was placed across the
nver ahead of the ships as a protection against mines floating
down during the night, several having exploded on the bank,
ihe danger of encountering mines during the next day's
advance was dealt with by the discovery of the minefield
switchboard and observation post on Tower Hill and the
fortunate capture of the Turkish mining engineer officer 5
lesponsible for the mines in the locality. Placed on board the
Suviana he readily assisted in pointing out the positions of the
leads of a minefield situated just below the obstruction at
Rota, which was then destroyed. Captain Khalil stated that
his mining company had arrived at Rota four months previously
from Baghdad and that observation mines had been laid in the
following positions :—
4 opposite mouth of Birbek Creek.
4 opposite Bahran.
3 about 1,500 metres up-stream from Bahran.
3 j) >> 5) below Rota obstruction.
3 at Rota.
Captain Khalil had been assisted by a German Major who,
he believed, was formerly employed in the railway workshops
at Baghdad. He stated that there were 150 floating mines in
charge of Geiman officers at Mazeebla. The moored mines
were all afterwards raised by our forces, and some of them
were emptied and used later on as buoys in the river.
The bombardment of the Turkish position at Bahran com
menced at 5.30 a.m. next day (1st June) bv both naval and
military guns. There was no reply from the Turkish positions,
and on advancing up the river with minesweepers ahead it
soon became apparent that the enemy had retreated. This was
J Lieut. - Commander 0. R. Campbell, R.I.M.
Lieutenant Duncan R.I.M.
3 Temperature,_ 4 p.m. 97° F. (Espiegle's logj.
4 Under Sub-Lieutenant R. H. Lilley (Odin)
5 Captain Khalil.

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Content

This monograph concerns operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from the outbreak of war with Germany to the fall of Kut on 29th April 1916. It is organised into the following chapters: the theatre of operations; the attitutude of Turkey; the inception of the expedition; landing of the expedition; occupation of Basra; operations against Qurna, 4-9th December 1914; consolidation of the Basra position; occupation of Amara, 3rd June 1915; operations on the Euphrates: capture of Nasiriya, 5th July 1915; naval forces and general situation, summer 1915: operations at Bushire and Dilwar: decision to advance to Kut; capture of Kut and decision to advance to Baghdad; Battle of Ctesiphon, 22nd November 1915 and retreat to Kut; operations for the relief of Kut: Townshend surrenders, 19th April 1916.

The appendices are: telegrams, 1914; orders and instructions; naval forces. Also ten maps including: the Shatt al-Arab; the Euphrates between Basra and Nasiriya; operations for the releief of Kut.

Extent and format
73 folios
Physical characteristics

Foliation. There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the front cover, on number 1, and ends on the inside of the back cover, on number 73.

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English in Latin script
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'Naval Staff monographs (historical) vol 4 no 15 - Naval operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf' [‎54] (69/150), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/73, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023813250.0x000046> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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